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Developing as a breeder

Article written by Connie and Lene K. JakobsenPrinted in The Scandinavian Poodle Magasin 1997-1999 and The Danish Poodle Yearbook 1996.

To you who are considering becoming a breeder the job description could be ....

* duties include midwifery, bookkeeping, correspondence, public relations, sales and grooming.* exhibiting and handling capabilitieare pluses.* must be able to deal with criticism, envy and occasional heartbreak.* supply own facilities, equipment and travel expenses.* strong back and first-aid skills are required.* knowledge of genetics recommended.* long hours, stiff competition.* no medical benefits, expense account or vacation.* entire income must be re-invested in dog-related activities.

A reflection on how many breeders evolve.

Having bred 28 litters from 1976-96, it is time to reflect on how many breeders evolve.

1. Beginning breeders are often making decisions with their hearts because they are overwhelmed by the beauty of their first litter. They find the puppies so similar that they cannot distinguish variations among them. Who does not remember watching their first litter around the clock?2. As beginners one must control one's childlike impatience and realize that chances are slim that one's first litter will produce the "great one" and if by chance it does, how would one recognize it?3. At this point the cleaver aspiring breeder seeks the counsel of a mentor, who has knowledge of the bloodlines of one's dog. It is nearly impossible to evaluate young puppies unless one is familiar with the particular gene pool.4. In the next stage breeders are like adolescents - confident - sometimes overconfident and often critical of everything. They can point out every defect in each dog and often they appear better able to distinguish faults in other peoples stock. Few approaches the opposite extreme and become so fixated on the faults of their own stock, that they become obsessed with eradicating them regardless of other considerations.

The more litters we whelp the more we realize that breeding is a never ending learning process.